In the heart of a dense and ancient forest, a man slowly regained consciousness. His head felt heavy, and his vision was blurry, but as he blinked and struggled to sit up, he found himself surrounded by tall trees and the faint sound of distant wildlife. Confused and disoriented, he tried to remember how he ended up in such a mysterious place. He said to himself while pinching his cheeks, “Is this a dream, I hope not. My life is already stale as it is, now this will be fun”. There was a weird beastly grin on the man’s face
As his senses sharpened, he noticed that he was lying near a colossal statue, its features eroded by time and nature. The statue depicted a heroic figure wielding a massive claymore, poised as if ready to strike down an unseen foe. Curious, the man approached the statue and read the inscriptions engraved upon its base. The language was strange, it was unlike any he had seen before. But to his surprise, he could understand it without any problems.
“These are the tales of the Demon Lords, who, in the darkest of days, brought forth calamity and devastation upon the realm,” the inscription read. “Only through the summoning of the Prophesied Hero can the world find relief from its anguish.”
The man’s heart quickened as he pondered the meaning behind these words. Was he the Prophesied Hero, summoned to confront the malevolent forces mentioned in the inscription? It seemed unfathomable, but as he looked around, he saw no one else in the vicinity. The responsibility weighed heavily on his shoulders, but he knew he had to make sense of his surroundings and discover the truth.
Beside the statue lay a beautiful claymore, gleaming with an ethereal light. Feeling a strange connection to the weapon, he picked it up, and a surge of energy coursed through his body. It felt as if the sword had chosen him, empowering him for the journey ahead. He felt a strange sense of comfort mixed with fear, as he anticipated for the days to come.
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In a dimly lit shabby room, a 6-foot-tall man, lay sprawled on a small bed, clad in worn-out clothes. Despite the surroundings, his fairly attractive features and clean-shaven face conveyed an air of dignity and strength. A few locks of unkempt hair fell over his forehead, casting a shadow on his closed eyes. As the piercing sound of an alarm filled the room, he jolted awake, his eyes snapping open with determination. The room’s disarray contrasted with his composed demeanor, as he rose to face the day with unwavering resolve.
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As the alarm clock shattered the silence, I jolted awake, my heart pounding in my chest like a war drum. The thought of navigating through the corporate landscape and interacting with new colleagues filled me with both excitement and dread. Thankfully, due to the pandemic, my work arrangement allowed me to begin my job from the comfort of my home, shielding me from the overwhelming pressure of a bustling office.
Swinging my legs off the small bed, I paused for a moment, taking a deep breath to steady myself. The unkempt hair, once a testament to my solitude, now represented a journey of resilience and growth. With a firm resolve, I rose from my solitary cocoon and walked towards my makeshift desk, adorned with my prized possessions – a powerful computer and a mug of courage-infusing coffee.
As I powered up my computer and logged into the virtual office, I reminded myself that I could do this. This opportunity to work from home might have been a necessity, but it also presented a chance to prove myself in a world where face-to-face encounters no longer dictated success. Embracing this new reality, I found solace in knowing that my skills and dedication would define me, not just my social prowess.
Though my journey as a software developer at XYZ Company was beginning remotely, the challenges I would face and the connections I would forge were as real as ever. With determination in my heart and the anxiety now replaced with a sense of adventure, I entered the virtual realm, ready to seize the day and make my mark in this uncharted landscape.
I guess introductions are in order, my name is Alex Morrison, a 22-year-old fairly handsome individual. I live far away from my parents and sister. I was neither a social butterfly nor an athletic specimen while growing up, in simple words I was as ordinary as a person can get. Due to my social anxiety, I was rather socially awkward and this led to quite the bullying from across the social spectrum.
Not that I never made attempts to better myself. I almost regularly watched motivational videos, read affirmations, and so on. I also joined the gym in hopes of turning a new leaf, but alas it was too much to break my old and trusty cycle of habits. Okay, that's enough complaining for the day, I sat up with my back straight as an arrow to begin my work with Ernest. Then all of a sudden, out of thin air a screen with a message popped up, I was taken aback almost falling off the chair. Was I dreaming, I rubbed my eyes in the hope of it disappearing but it was still there, shoved run onto my face.
The Message was as follows, “Hello Traveller !, how goes the day? , are you living well? Does your life lack the spice and all things nice, are you satisfied with this folly called life, you deserve better you know. I would like to propose a way to remove this dreaded existence, will you take part in this grand adventure of gargantuan proportions.”
How would you like to proceed?
Accept Decline
Subconsciously my mind wandered and thought of being reborn had occurred, I forgot to mention that I was an avid lover of everything fantasy, be it web novels, manga, manhwa, games, and so on. This was all like a wet dream to me. As if hearing my inner monologue, the room grew bright with bright light emitting a blinding radiance. I felt myself doze off little by little into the abyss of darkness. Am I going to die, is this the end of the road for me.